Method of manufacture of down insulated goods

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing insulated goods with down filling, which comprises initially forming packets of a predetermined amount of down compressed into a predetermined size, which packets are placed in compartments for down in the goods. The compartments are completely closed for containing down, and the packet of down in each compartment is then ruptured by striking it, permitting the down to release into the compartment. Subsequent immersion of the down insulated goods in a solvent for the packet material dissolves such material leaving only down in the compartment.

The use of down insulated goods which includes garments and othermaterials such as sleeping bags, etc., has increased greatly as thepublic has increased outdoor activity. It is well known by mostoutdoorsmen that down filled cloth goods are the lightest and thewarmest of all types of outdoor cold weather gear. The down filled goodsare not only light but are compressible to small volumes. Themanufacture of the down insulated goods involves considerable handlabor, and, therefore, the cost of such goods greatly exceeds the costof other types of insulated goods. Only a few manufacturers havespecialized in the manufacture of down insulated materials, and recentlythey have entered the do-it-yourself hobbyist market, where thematerials are provided for the individual to make his own personaljacket, sleeping bag, etc.

Down is a remarkable material, particularly the finest which is goosedown, compressible to a small volume but rebounding to full volumeimmediately on release. However, this is a quality which makes it adifficult material to work with, and which requires considerable handwork in making insulated goods. For the do-it-yourself kits made byseveral manufacturers, the cloth goods are cut to approximate size andshape only, and the purchaser receives a container of the down which isto be placed into the sewn garment, and then places the down intocompartments. These filled compartments are sewn closed. The transfer ofthe down from the shipping container to the garment or compartment inthe material produces several problems, and usually messy problems.

Down insulated goods contain from a few ounces of down for mittens tothree or more pounds of down for sleeping bags. Good quality down, whichis usually mature, northern, winter harvested goose down, occupies about4,800 cubic inches per half pound when in uninhibited condition. Thus,it is seen that lightness and volume of down forms one of the problemsof working with it.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method ofmanufacturing down insulated goods, particularly adaptable fordo-it-yourself hobbyists, wherein down is compressed and packaged in apacket formed of a soluble film. These packets are sewn, intact, in thecompartments in the fabric of the goods. The packets may be rupturedwhen the compartments are sewn completely closed. When the packet isruptured, the down is released, filling the compartment. Subsequentcleaning operations, or merely immersing the garment in a solvent forthe packet material, dissolves the packet material leaving clean down inthe compartments.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is toprovide a method for manufacturing down insulated goods.

Another object of the invention is to provide down for insulated goodsin predetermined sizes of packets wherein one packet is used for oneinsulation compartment in the goods.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method ofmanufacturing down insulated goods by providing compressed down, of areduced volume, in a soluble packet which is sewn in a compartment inthe goods and the package is then ruptured releasing the down, andsubsequent immersing of the garment in a solvent for the packet materialleaves the down and fabric in the compartment clean.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for simplymaking insulated goods of down suitable for the do-it-yourself market.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a predeterminedamount of down compressed in a water soluble packet so that after beingsewn in a compartment of the goods the down may be released by rupturingthe packet containing the compressed down or by dissolving the packetmaterial in water.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readilyascertained by referring to the following description and appendedillustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tubular packet containing compressed down ina soluble film material formed into packet shape and sealed, containingthe down therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a center-fold, three sided seal packet forcontaining down;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of a garment during a first phase ofmanufacturing, having two pieces of cloth in face engagement and sewntogether leaving open sided compartments into which down insulation maybe placed;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the garment making process showing asecond phase of manufacture with a packet of compressed down in each ofthe open compartments;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of a manufacturing process for a garmentshowing a third phase, with the compartments sewn up and the downpackets ruptured;

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of a garment showing the final step in themanufacture, with the packet material removed and the down filling ineach compartment; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic flow diagram in the steps of the method of placinginsulating down in a garment.

In one form of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, apacket, shown in general by numeral 10, is formed of tubular filmmaterial, sealed at its bottom along a seal line 11 and sealed along theseal line 12 at its top. The packet contains a predetermined amount ofdown which is to be filled in a predetermined size compartment in agarment. Generally, the packet is of considerably smaller size than thecompartment in which it will be placed so that it may be easily placedin the compartment and the compartment sewn shut. As explained below,the packet may be made of film material which is soluble in a solvent.As an example, a film of polyvinyl alcohol may be used to contain thecompressed down, and once in the compartment the polyvinyl alcohol maybe dissolved away from the down by immersing the garment in water. As iswell known, the polyvinyl alcohol film is made in various thicknessesand the packet may, likewise, be made of film of different thicknesses.Further, while the packet is shown as made from tubular stock having twosealed ends, it is obvious that the packet may be made in any of knownmethods of making packets where, for example, a seal is formed aroundthe outside of the four sides of two sheets of material in faceengagement to form an enclosed package; a film sheet may becenter-folded back on itself and the three sides sealed to form apackage; etc. In any event, it is necessary that the packet be sealedand hold compressed down therein. The packet is preferably of a lessersize than the compartment into which it will be placed.

In another form, FIG. 2, a center-fold packet 15 is a piece of filmfolded back on itself along a fold line 16 and is sealed along sides 17,18 and 19. The packet is formed by folding, sealing two sides, fillingwith down, and then sealing the third side. The film may be perforatedwith perforations 20, to aid in rupturing the packet, and dissolving thefilm in a solvent for the film.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, three compartments A, B, and C, are formed inpartially sewn goods, including material 16 which is placed on top of asimilar piece of material 18 and sewn along stitch line 20 separatingcompartments A and B. A rear sew line 22 separates compartment B from acompartment extending from compartment B. A sewing line 24 separatescompartment B from compartment C. The sewing line 22 separates thesethree compartments from similar compartments to the right. For ado-it-yourself kit, the fabric of a correct size and shape is provided.For example, in a sleeping bag the sheet fabric and the interliningfabric. These fabric pieces are placed together and sewn along the,usually premarked, lines to leave the compartments. The directions ofsewing are provided by the manufacturer. A similar situation occurs withjackets and the like, where there will be an outer fabric and an innerfabric, and the two sewn together leaving compartments for down therein.In each case, the compartment is sewn with three sides closed, leavingan open side, for example, open side 30b for compartment B. A packet ofcompressed down 32, FIG. 4, is placed in the compartment B, and as shownit is of smaller dimensions than the dimensions of compartment B. Insimilar manner, a packet 33 is placed in compartment A, through openside 30a, and a packet 34 is placed in compartment C through open side30c. In similar manner, a packet of down is placed in each of the othercompartments of the particular garment being manufactured. The openingsof the compartments 30a, 30b and 30c, are then sewn together along a sewline 36 extending along the openings 30a, 30b and 30c, completelyclosing the down packets in the compartments. This is done for all othercompartments. Once in the compartments and sealed therein by the sewing,the packets may be ruptured as by clapping your hands over the packet orby placing it on a hard surface and striking the packet sharply, whichruptures the film of the packet releasing the down into the compartment.The packet is easily ruptured by gathering the fabric between two handsand then pulling at the packet's ends. The perforated packet stock aidsthis procedure. The packets may, also, be broken open by merely bendingthem in half. Also, after the garment is completely sewn with all of thepackets in place in the compartments, the garment may be placed in asolvent for the film dissolving the packet material. After the garmentdries from this immersion, the down will be spread uniformly throughoutthe compartments and will be fluffy and ready for use.

The steps of the method are schematically shown in FIG. 7, whichinitially includes placing an inner and an outer fabric piece on top ofeach other. This double fabric layer is then sewn so as to producepockets with open ends. A packet of down is placed in each pocket andthe ends of the pockets are sewn closed. The down is released from thepackets into the pocket sewn in the materials. One method of releasingthe down is to break the packet by pressure, and another method is towash the garment in solvent for the packet covering without breaking thepacket. In the first method, the packet material is removed from thepocket by washing in a solvent for the packet covering.

The packets may be perforated so that the filling of the packet can beaccomplished, and these perforations, also, help one in tearing thepacket open. Also, the finished garment may be quilted. This createsmore compartments to hold the down in place.

In choosing the type of material for packaging the down, lower molecularweight polymeric material is preferred, since in the lower molecularweight polymeric films the material is soluble in a solvent. Thus, thepolyvinyl alcohol which contains a high proportion of hydroxyl groups issoluble in water, and in low molecular weight alcohols. Such materialis, however, generally insoluble in hydrocarbon solvents. Other watersoluble films are useful, e.g., water soluble cellulose, etc. Apolystyrene film is generally a pure hydrocarbon, and is essentiallyinsoluble in such solvents as water and alcohol, but it is soluble in ahydrocarbon solvent such as benzene and toluene. Generally speaking, asthe molecular weight of the polymeric material increases, the solubilitydecreases and the resistance to solvation increases. Further thesolubility of the polymers decreases with increased branching and crosslinking of the polymers.

The main function of the film is to contain at least partiallycompressed down, so it may be easily inserted into a compartment andsewn therein, while the down is retained in the packet. The down isreleased from the packet either by rupturing the film material of thepacket, or simply by immersing the whole garment in a solvent for thematerial. The packet material is dissolved in the solvent for the filmreleasing the down, and removing the packet material from the garment.

I claim:.]. .Iadd.We claim:.Iaddend.
 1. A method of placing insulatingdown in a compartment in a garment comprising packaging down in asoluble film packet sealed against the escape of down therefrom; placingsaid packet in a down compartment in such a garment; securing saidcompartment closed and into a down-holding compartment; rupturing saidpacket in said closed compartment to release down therein; and immersingsaid compartment in a solvent for said soluble film.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein said down is compressed in said packet. 3.A method according to claim 2 wherein the dimensions of said packet aresubstantially less than the compartment into which it is placed.
 4. Amethod according to claim 1 wherein said rupturing is caused by strikingor tearing said packet.
 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein saidfilm is soluble in water and said solvent is water.
 6. A methodaccording to claim 5 wherein said film is a polyvinyl alcohol.
 7. Amethod according to claim 5 wherein said film is a water solublecellulose.
 8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said film is solublein an organic solvent for such film.
 9. A method according to claim 8wherein said film is a polystyrene.
 10. A method according to claim 1wherein said packet is perforated. .Iadd.
 11. A method of placinginsulating down in a compartment in a garment comprising: Inserting in adown compartment in such a garment a down-containing packet made of asoluble film sealed against escape of down from said packet; securingsaid compartment closed and into a down-holding compartment; rupturingsaid packet in said closed compartment to release down therein; andimmersing said compartment in a solvent for said solublefilm..Iaddend..Iadd.
 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein saiddown is compressed in said packet..Iaddend..Iadd.
 13. A method accordingto claim 12 wherein the dimensions of said packet are substantially lessthan the compartment into which it is placed..Iaddend..Iadd.
 14. Amethod according to claim 11 wherein said rupturing is caused bystriking or tearing said packet..Iaddend..Iadd.
 15. A method accordingto claim 11 wherein said film is soluble in water and said solvent iswater..Iaddend..Iadd.
 16. A method according to claim 15 wherein saidfilm is a polyvinyl alcohol..Iaddend..Iadd.
 17. A method according toclaim 15 wherein said film is a water soluble cellulose..Iaddend..Iadd.18. A method according to claim 11 wherein said film is soluble in anorganic solvent for such film..Iaddend..Iadd.
 19. A method according toclaim 18 wherein said film is a polystyrene..Iaddend..Iadd.
 20. A methodaccording to claim 11 wherein said packet is perforated..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A method of placing insulating down in a compartment in a garmentcomprising: Inserting in a down compartment in such a garment adown-containing packet made of a soluble film sealed against escape ofdown from said packet; securing said compartment closed and into adown-holding compartment; and immersing said compartment in a solventfor said soluble film to release down therein..Iaddend..Iadd.
 22. Amethod according to claim 21 wherein said down is compressed in saidpacket..Iaddend..Iadd.
 23. A method according to claim 22 wherein thedimensions of said packet are substantially less than the compartmentinto which it is placed..Iaddend..Iadd.
 24. A method according to claim21 wherein said film is soluble in water and said solvent is water..Iadd.
 25. A method according to claim 24 wherein said film is apolyvinyl alcohol..Iaddend..Iadd.
 26. A method according to claim 24wherein said film is a water soluble cellulose..Iaddend..Iadd.
 27. Amethod according to claim 21 wherein said film is soluble in an organicsolvent for such film..Iaddend..Iadd.
 28. A method according to claim 27wherein said film is a polystyrene..Iaddend..Iadd.
 29. A methodaccording to claim 21 wherein said packet is perforated..Iaddend.